TAMPA, Fla. -- Five weeks into the season, the more optimistic Auburn fans were beginning to wonder whether the upstart Tigers had a chance to run the table.

Three weeks later, the more pessimistic were fretting that Auburn might not win another game.

Hal Yeager, Birmingham NewsAuburn receiver Darvin Adams, who earned Outback Bowl MVP honors Friday, caught 12 passes for 142 yards in the 38-35 win in overtime over Northwestern.When Auburn's 2009 season officially went in the books after Friday's thrilling Outback Bowl victory over Northwestern, the result was neither as glamorous nor as dire as it could have been.

The Tigers finished 8-5, champions of a New Year's Day bowl and owners of confidence and enthusiasm that had evaporated only a year earlier.

There are plenty of challenges ahead for coach Gene Chizik in Year 2, but his first big tasks -- winning over a skeptical fan base, then winning enough games in Year 1 to keep supporters happy -- have been completed with satisfaction.

"We have set down the foundation for what we feel is a very bright future," Chizik said.

Auburn's five-game winning streak to open the season inflated expectations that had been gloomy in August. The subsequent three-game losing streak -- to Arkansas, Kentucky and LSU -- quickly brought the exuberance back to a more manageable level.

The Tigers finished the season with two more wins, including a key home victory against Ole Miss, and two last-minute losses to rivals Alabama and Georgia.

The 38-35 overtime victory Friday in Tampa not only put Auburn in one of the bowl season's most exciting games, but also provided a bounce in enthusiasm that Chizik can use in recruiting and 2010.

Expect to hear a lot about recruiting in the next month. Auburn is on the verge of what could be its most highly ranked class in a few years.

A handful of players have already signed and are preparing for classes next week, including junior-college quarterback Cameron Newton. Newton, a former Florida player, will be perhaps the top contender for Auburn's starting job in 2010.

The vacancy at quarterback looms as one of two big holes on an offense that will otherwise return largely intact. Replacing senior running back Ben Tate also will be a challenge. The Tigers hope to do it with one or two players not currently on the roster. Elite running back prospect Michael Dyer has already committed. Coaches hope South Carolina prep star Marcus Lattimore will be next.

On defense, Auburn has major challenges, as Northwestern demonstrated by racking up 625 yards of total offense Friday.

Depth was a serious issue in 2009, but more bodies alone won't solve all the problems, especially when the losses of seniors such as Antonio Coleman and Walt McFadden are factored in.

Chizik said after the Outback Bowl that he planned to "reintroduce" himself to his wife and kids in the coming days, but recruiting won't be far behind. Spring practice will be around in no time, too.

If Chizik made it through Year 1, the next one should be a piece of cake.

"I feel blessed to be the head football coach at Auburn," he said. "It's as good as it gets for me personally. But it's not about me. It's about this team and university."